JP2005091205A - Vehicle position information providing method, program, program recording medium, system, server device, and car navigation system - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a system serving newest possible position information about a plurality of member vehicles by using only one connection. <P>SOLUTION: Position information on vehicles is transmitted to car navigation systems 1, 2, 3, a vehicle position information offer server 101 stores the information in a position information database 104 for each vehicle. When a car navigation system transmits user information that specifies the vehicle and the member information composed of user information that specifies vehicles requiring providing other member's positional information to the server 101, the server 101 associates and manages both the information (storing them in a user information database 102 and a member information database 103). When a car navigation system transmits the signal of the user information of the vehicles requiring the position information on other member's vehicles, the server 101 replies with the newest positional information about the vehicles specified by the user information which is included in the member information associated with the user information of the vehicle. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to provision of vehicle position information using car navigation.

  When you travel with your acquaintance in multiple cars, you often lose track of your acquaintance's car due to traffic lights or traffic. Recently, the number of mobile phone users has increased, and even if you lose sight of your acquaintance's car, it has become possible to contact you via mobile phone. However, it is inefficient to communicate with a mobile phone each time while driving.

  Recently, car navigation systems have been installed in quite a number of automobiles. Some of the latest car navigation systems can be connected to the Internet using a hands-free function in addition to displaying map information by connecting a mobile phone or implementing a mobile phone function inside. It is increasing. However, there has been no function for displaying position information of vehicles other than one's own vehicle.

Therefore, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 10-185595 (Patent Document 1) and Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2003-109185 (Patent Document 2) propose a technique for displaying position information of vehicles other than one's own vehicle by car navigation. .
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 10-185595 JP 2003-109185 A

  However, as in the inventions described in Patent Document 1 and Patent Document 2, the method of acquiring and displaying the position information of other vehicles end-to-end using a wireless communication device or a mobile phone connected to car navigation. When acquiring the position information of a plurality of opponents, it is necessary to connect for each opponent. In the invention described in Patent Document 1, if the connection partner manages the position information of another vehicle, the position information of a plurality of other vehicles can be acquired without performing a plurality of connections. However, because the connection partner does not always manage the position information of other vehicles, if the connection partner does not manage the position information of the other party that is required, it is necessary to make a connection for each partner as well. is there.

  In addition, when acquiring position information end-to-end, it is necessary that communication between one's own vehicle and the other party's vehicle must be established. So, for example, if your car is in a state where communication is not possible, then it is restored to a state where communication is possible. The latest position that can be known with respect to is the position at the time when the vehicle is not able to communicate and communication is interrupted. In other words, it is impossible to know any change in the position of the opponent's car while the car was in a state where communication was impossible.

  The present invention provides a method capable of providing position information of a plurality of destination vehicles with only one connection and providing the latest position information as much as possible for the destination vehicles.

  In order to achieve the above object, according to the present invention, the position information of one's own vehicle is transmitted to the car navigation, and this is managed by a server (hereinafter referred to as a vehicle position information providing server) for each vehicle. Car navigation for a vehicle that wishes to provide position information of another vehicle is information that specifies the vehicle (hereinafter referred to as user information) and a vehicle that desires to provide position information to the vehicle position information providing server. Information consisting of information (hereinafter referred to as member information) is transmitted, and the vehicle position information providing server manages these in association with each other. When the car navigation of a vehicle that wishes to provide the position information of another vehicle transmits a signal indicating that the user information of the vehicle and the position information of the other vehicle are requested, the vehicle position information providing server The latest position information of the vehicle specified by the user information included in the member information associated with the user information is returned.

  Further, for each user information included in the member information, a position information notification condition is attached. When the position of the vehicle for which position information is desired satisfies the notification condition, the latest position information of the vehicle is displayed as the vehicle position information. You may make it notify from a provision server automatically.

  As described above, the present invention has the following effects.

  First, it is possible to display the position information of the other party's car in addition to the own car in the car navigation.

  Second, since it is only necessary to manage and store the vehicle position information and connect to only the server that provides the vehicle position information, even if it is desired to display the position information of a plurality of opponent cars, the connection is only required once. In addition, it is possible to access this server from a vehicle that requires position information and acquire position information of other vehicles.

  Third, even when the car navigation of the other party's car displaying the position information is not activated, the server that provides the vehicle position information manages the last position information, so that the newest position information can be acquired as much as possible. It is. That is, for example, if your car is in a state where communication is not possible, then it is restored to a state where communication is possible. The latest position that can be known with respect to is the position at the time when the other party's car is in a state where communication is impossible. In other words, it is possible to know at least the change in the position of the opponent's car from when the car becomes inaccessible until the opponent's car becomes inaccessible. Become.

  Fourth, by defining location information notification conditions, it is possible to automatically recognize that the other party's car has moved to an arbitrary position or approached (leaved) more than a certain distance. is there.

  Next, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

  Referring to FIG. 1, a vehicle position information providing system according to an embodiment of the present invention includes car navigation systems 1, 2, and 3, a vehicle position information providing server 101, a user information database 102, a member information database 103, A location information database 104 is included.

  The car navigation systems 1, 2, and 3 include car navigation systems 11, 21, and 31 and mobile phones 12, 22, and 32. However, the mobile phones 12, 22, and 32 may be incorporated in the car navigation systems 11, 21, and 31, or may be connected to the car navigation systems 11, 21, and 31 as external devices using a wired cable or near field communication. You may connect. In the present embodiment, the car navigation system 1 is a car navigation system installed in one's own car, and the car navigation systems 2 and 3 are car navigation systems installed in other cars. The car navigation systems 11, 21, and 31 can communicate with the vehicle location information providing server 101 via the mobile phones 12, 22, and 32, respectively.

  The vehicle position information providing server 101 communicates with the car navigation systems 11, 21, and 31 via the mobile phones 12, 22, and 32, acquires vehicle user information, member information, and position information, and The user information database 102, the member information database 103, and the position information database 104 are stored. When the car navigation 11 requests the position information of another vehicle, the position information of the other vehicle is transmitted to the car navigation 11.

  The user information database 102 is a database that manages user information of the car navigation systems 1, 2, and 3. The member information database 103 is a database that manages member information indicating a car navigation system that each user wants to recognize. The location information database 104 is a database that manages location information for each user.

  Next, the operation of the vehicle position information providing system of this embodiment will be described.

  In order for the car navigation system 1 to acquire the position information of the car navigation systems 2 and 3, it is necessary to register the user information of the car navigation system 1 in the vehicle position information providing server 101.

  User identification information is essential as user information. The user identification information is information for uniquely identifying the car navigation system, and any identification information such as a user name, a telephone number, and an identification ID of a car navigation system may be used. Information other than the user identification information may be registered by the user information registration process.

  First, the car navigation system 1 is activated to establish a connection between the car navigation 11 and the vehicle position information providing server 101. The car navigation 11 establishes a connection with the vehicle position information providing server 101 via the mobile phone 12. In the present embodiment, the communication processing between the mobile phone 12 and the vehicle location information providing server 101 includes various operations such as dial-up connection using PPP (Point to Point Protocol) and transmission / reception of mail by SMS (Short Message Service). Although a method is conceivable, any method may be used.

  Referring to FIG. 2, a flowchart showing a user information registration process is shown. The subject of processing is the vehicle location information providing server 101.

  When a user information registration request message is received from the car navigation 11 (S11), the user information database 102 is searched (S12) to check whether the user information specified in the user information registration request has already been registered (S13). If the user information is already registered in the user information database 102, a message response indicating that the user information could not be registered is returned (S15). If the user information is not registered, the user information is registered (S14), and a message response indicating that the registration of the user information is completed is returned (S15).

  When setting user information, a process for prohibiting unauthorized access using a password may be used. Moreover, although the example which performs user registration from a car navigation system was shown in this embodiment, user information may be previously registered by the vehicle position information provision server side.

  In this embodiment, user information registration processing is performed as user identification information = car navigation 1, 2, 3 from the car navigation systems 1, 2, 3 respectively, and three user information (user identification information = car navigation 1) is stored in the user information database 102. 2, 3) are registered.

  Referring to FIG. 3, a flowchart showing the flow of member information setting processing is shown. The subject of processing is the vehicle location information providing server 101.

  When the car navigation system 1 wants to recognize the position information of the car navigation systems 2 and 3, it is necessary to perform a member information setting process. Since the user designates the user identification information registered in the vehicle position information providing server 101 in advance as a member, the user needs to know the user identification information.

  By operating the car navigation 11 so that the car navigation system 1 can recognize the position information of the car navigation systems 2 and 3, the member information indicating the user identification information of the car navigation systems 2 and 3 is specified, and the member information Perform the setting process. A plurality of member information may be specified at the same time.

  When receiving the member information setting request message (S21), the vehicle location information providing server 101 searches the user information database 102 (S22) and confirms whether the user information included in the member information setting request message is registered (S23). ). If the user information is not registered, a message response indicating that the member information setting process could not be performed is returned (S29).

  If the user information is registered, the member information corresponding to the user information is deleted from the member information database 103 (S24). Next, it is confirmed whether the member information specified by the member information setting request message (that is, the user identification information of the car navigation systems 2 and 3) exists (S25). If no member information is specified in the member information setting request message, since no member information is specified, a message response indicating that the member information setting process could not be performed is returned (S29).

  When one or more member information is designated, the member information is confirmed one by one. First, the user information database 102 is searched (S26), and it is confirmed whether the user identification information specified by the member information is registered in the user information database 102 (S27). If the user identification information specified by the member information is registered in the user information database 102, the position information of the member can be managed, so that it is added as member information for the user in the member information database 103 (S28). ). If the user identification information specified by the member information is not registered, it is not added to the member information database 103 as member information. Next, it is confirmed whether there is other member information that has not been checked (S25). If there is only one member information specified in the member information setting request message, a message response indicating the result of the member information setting process is returned (S29). If there is a plurality of member information specified in the member information setting request message, the processing from S25 to S28 is repeated for the number of member information, and the final result is returned as a message response (S29).

  In this embodiment, a member information setting request message of user information (user identification information = car navigation 1) and member information (user identification information = car navigation 2, car navigation 3) is transmitted from the car navigation system 1, and user information (user identification) is transmitted. Member information corresponding to information = car navigation 1) (user identification information = car navigation 2, car navigation 3) is set in the member information database 103.

  Referring to FIG. 4, there is shown a flowchart showing a flow of position information change processing. The subject of processing is the vehicle location information providing server 101.

  When the car navigation system 1 starts operation or when the position information of the car navigation system 1 is changed, the car navigation system 1 provides a position information change request message including user information and position information. Send to server 101.

  When receiving the position information change request message (S31), the vehicle position information providing server 101 searches the user information in the user information database 102 (S32), and confirms whether the user information included in the position information change request message is registered. (S33).

  If the user information is not registered, a message response indicating that the position information change process cannot be performed because the user information is not registered is returned (S35). If the user information is registered, the position information corresponding to the user information in the position information database 104 is updated (S34), and a message response indicating that the position information has been changed is returned (S35).

  If user information is also registered in the car navigations 2 and 3, the position information is managed by the vehicle position information providing server 101 using this position information change process every time the position information is changed.

  If the network load increases when the location information change process is performed every time the location information is changed, the location information change process may be thinned out by performing the location information change process at regular intervals. Is possible.

  In the present embodiment, the user information (user identification information = car navigation 1, 2, 3) and the respective position information = A1, B1, C1 are designated from the car navigation systems 1, 2, 3 and stored in the position information database 104. Position information = A1, B1, C1 is set for each user information (user identification information = car navigation 1, 2, 3).

  Referring to FIG. 5, a flowchart showing the flow of the member position information acquisition process is shown. The subject of processing is the vehicle location information providing server 101.

  In the present embodiment, a method for performing member position information acquisition processing by itself is shown.

  When the car navigation system 1 wants to acquire the position information of the car navigation systems 2 and 3, it transmits a member position information request message including user information to the vehicle position information providing server 101.

  When receiving the member position information request message (S41), the vehicle position information providing server 101 searches the user information database 102 (S42) to confirm whether the user information included in the member position information request message is registered (S42). S43).

  If the user information is not registered, a message response indicating that the member position information cannot be acquired because the user information is not registered is returned (S49). If the user information is registered, the member information database 103 is searched (S44), and it is confirmed whether the member information corresponding to the user information specified in the member position information request message is registered (S45).

  If no member information is registered, a message response indicating that no member position information exists is returned (S49). When the member information is registered, the user information database 102 is searched (S46), and it is confirmed whether the user information corresponding to the user identification information of the member information is registered (S47).

  If the user information is not registered, the fact that the position information could not be acquired is stored, the member information database 103 is searched (S44), and other members corresponding to the user information specified in the member position information request message are stored. It is confirmed whether information is registered (S45).

  If the user information is registered, the position information of the user is acquired from the position information database 104, and the position information of the member is stored (S48). Similarly to the case where the user information is not registered, the member information database 103 is searched (S44), and it is confirmed whether other member information corresponding to the user information specified in the member position information request message is registered. (S45).

  If there is a plurality of member information corresponding to the user information specified in the member position information request message, the processing from S44 to S48 is repeated.

  When the acquisition of the position information of all members is completed, the stored position information is returned as a message response.

  In this embodiment, user information (user identification information = car navigation 1) is designated and member position information acquisition processing is performed. For the user information (user identification information = car navigation 1), member information (user identification information = car navigation 2, car navigation 3) is set in the member information database 103. Identification information = location information corresponding to car navigation systems 2, 3 = B1, C1 is acquired. The car navigation 11 displays the acquired position information = B1 and C1 on the car navigation 11 if they are within the range of the currently displayed map.

  Even when the car navigation systems 2 and 3 are not activated when the member position information acquisition process is performed, since the final position information is managed by the position information database 104, the car navigation system 1 At least this final position information of the car navigation systems 2 and 3 can be acquired. That is, for example, after the car navigation system 1 is in an incommunicable state, it is restored to a communicable state, but the car navigation systems 2 and 3 are now in an incommunicable state at the time of recovery. The latest position that can be known with respect to the other party's car is the position at the time when the car navigation systems 2 and 3 become unable to communicate. That is, it is possible to know at least a change in the position of the other party's car from when the car navigation system 1 becomes incapable of communication until when the car navigation systems 2 and 3 become incapable of communication. It will be possible.

  It is also possible to acquire when the position information acquired during the member position information acquisition process is the set position information by attaching time information as a parameter as the position information set in the position information change process.

  Next, a vehicle position information providing system according to another embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.

  The member information setting process is basically the same as the flowchart described above, but a location information notification condition is added as a parameter of the member information setting request message. Further, when the position information changing process is performed, the vehicle position information providing server 101 can notify the car navigation system corresponding to the condition in real time of the position information when the position information notification condition is satisfied. Like that.

  First, the member information setting process will be described with reference to FIG. 3, which is basically as described above.

  When updating member information (S28), not only user identification information but also position information notification conditions are set as member information in the member information database 103.

  In the present embodiment, position information is notified to the car navigation system 1 when the car navigation system 2 enters the range of X1Y1-X2Y2. The car navigation system 1 transmits a member information setting request message including user information (user identification information = car navigation 1) and member information (user identification information = car navigation 2, position information notification condition = range X1Y1-X2Y2) The information providing server 101 sets member information (user identification information = car navigation 2, position information notification condition = range X1Y1-X2Y2) corresponding to user information (user identification information = car navigation 1) in the member information database 103.

  Referring to FIG. 6, there is shown a flowchart showing the flow of position information change processing of the present embodiment. The subject of processing is the vehicle location information providing server 101.

  In the present embodiment, a case will be described in which the car navigation system 2 makes a location information change request for user information (user identification information = car navigation 2, location information = B2).

  6 perform the same processing as S31 to S35 in FIG.

  After performing the message response (S55), the member information database 103 is searched (S56), and member information having user identification information corresponding to the user identification information of the user information specified by the position information change request message is acquired. It is confirmed whether or not the position information notification condition of the member information corresponds to the position information specified by the position information change request message (S57), and in this case, position information = B1 is changed to position information notification condition = range X1Y1-X2Y2 here. If they match, the position information of the car navigation system 2 is notified to the user (car navigation system 1) having the member information (S58).

  When the car navigation system 1 acquires the position information of the car navigation 2 from the vehicle position information providing server 101, the car navigation system 1 displays the contents on the car navigation 11 so that the user can recognize it.

  By performing the above processing, the car navigation 1 can automatically recognize that the designated destination has moved to an arbitrary position.

  In this embodiment, the position information notification condition is specified as a position information notification range, and the position information notification condition is notified when the car navigation system moves to an arbitrary position. Various conditions can be set, for example, when the system moves or when the distance from the user approaches (departs from) a certain distance or more.

  The vehicle position information providing server 101 records a program for realizing its function on a computer-readable recording medium in addition to being realized by dedicated hardware, and the program recorded on the recording medium. May be realized by reading the program into a computer system to be the vehicle position information providing server 101 and executing it. The computer-readable recording medium refers to a recording medium such as a floppy disk, a magneto-optical disk, a CD-ROM, or a storage device such as a hard disk device built in a computer system. Furthermore, a computer-readable recording medium is a medium that dynamically holds a program (transmission medium or transmission wave) in a short time, as in the case of transmitting a program via the Internet. Such as a volatile memory, which holds a program for a certain period of time.

It is a figure which shows the structure of the vehicle position information provision system of one Embodiment of this invention. It is the flowchart which showed the registration process of user information. It is a flowchart which shows the flow of the setting process of member information. It is a flowchart which shows the flow of the change process of a positional information. It is a flowchart which shows the flow of acquisition processing of member position information. It is a flowchart which shows the flow of the change process of a positional information in the vehicle positional information provision system of other embodiment of this invention.

Explanation of symbols

1, 2, 3 Car navigation system 11, 21, 31 Car navigation 12, 22, 32 Mobile phone 101 Vehicle location information providing server 102 User information database 103 Member information database 104 Location information database S11-S15 Step S21-S29 Step S31- S35 step S41 to S49 step S51 to S58 step

Claims (11)

A first vehicle that receives position information of the vehicle from a car navigation device provided on the vehicle at any time via a network and manages the position information for each vehicle is desired for the position information of other vehicles. A method for providing position information of the other vehicle to the car navigation device of
The server device receives user information specifying the first vehicle and member information including user information specifying the other vehicle from the car navigation device of the first vehicle, and associates the two. A first step to manage;
When the server device receives, from the car navigation device of the first vehicle, a user information specifying the first vehicle and a signal requesting position information of the other vehicle, the first vehicle A method comprising a second step of returning the latest position information of the vehicle specified by the user information included in the member information associated with the user information for specifying the vehicle information. A third step in which the server device receives, from the car navigation device of the first vehicle, a notification condition of position information of the other vehicle for each user information included in the member information;
When the server determines that there is a vehicle whose latest position information satisfies the notification condition among the other vehicles, the latest position information of the vehicle is automatically notified to the car navigation device of the first vehicle. The method of claim 1, further comprising a fourth step of: The car navigation device includes a mobile phone,
The method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the network comprises a mobile telephone network. A computer program for causing a computer to be the server to execute each step according to any one of claims 1 to 3. A computer-readable recording medium recording a computer program that causes a computer to be the server to execute each step according to claim 1. Car navigation of the first vehicle that receives the position information of the vehicle from the car navigation device provided in the vehicle at any time via the network, manages this for each vehicle, and desires the position information of other vehicles A server device for providing position information of the other vehicle to the device,
User information including user information specifying the first vehicle and member information including user information specifying the other vehicle is received from the car navigation device of the first vehicle, and the two are associated and managed. Means,
User information for identifying the first vehicle upon receiving a user information for identifying the first vehicle and a signal requesting position information for the other vehicle from the car navigation device of the first vehicle. The server apparatus which has a 2nd means which returns the newest positional information on the vehicle specified by the user information contained in the said member information linked | related with. Third means for receiving a notification condition of the position information of the other vehicle for each user information included in the member information from the car navigation device of the first vehicle;
When it is determined that there is a vehicle in which the latest position information satisfies the notification condition among the other vehicles, the latest position information of the vehicle is automatically notified to the car navigation device of the first vehicle. The server apparatus according to claim 6, further comprising means. In a car navigation device associated with a vehicle,
A first means for transmitting location information of the associated vehicle as needed to a server device that manages location information for each vehicle via a network;
Second means for transmitting to the server device member information including user information for specifying an associated vehicle and user information for specifying another vehicle for which position information is desired;
Third means for transmitting to the server device user information for identifying the associated vehicle, and a signal requesting position information of the other vehicle,
A car navigation device comprising a fourth means for receiving the latest position information of the other vehicle from the server device. Fifth means for transmitting a notification condition of the position information of the other vehicle to the server device for each user information included in the member information;
The car navigation device according to claim 8, further comprising: sixth means for receiving, from the server device, the latest position information of a vehicle whose latest position information satisfies the notification condition among the other vehicles. . Equipped with a mobile phone,
The car navigation device according to claim 8 or 9, wherein the network includes a mobile phone network. The position information of the associated vehicle is received as needed from the car navigation device according to any one of claims 8 to 10 via a network, and is managed for each vehicle. A system in which the described server device provides position information of the other vehicle to a car navigation device of the vehicle that desires position information of the other vehicle.

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